A high school basketball game between Ripley and New Albany on January 3, 2026, was suspended after a fight broke out near the concession stand at Memorial Gym, according to New Albany School District Superintendent Tony Cook.
Cook released a statement Monday detailing the incident, stating that school administrators, Resource Officers and the New Albany Police Department brought the situation under control within three minutes. The superintendent confirmed that no New Albany students were involved in the altercation and that the fight did not stem from the basketball game itself.
Despite the disruption, the contest between the Ripley Tigers and the New Albany Bulldogs was a scheduled non-conference matchup, according to MaxPreps. A live stream of the game was available on YouTube.
This incident follows a similar contest between the two schools in baseball, where New Albany’s Conner Yarbrough had a standout performance, going 4-4 with three RBIs while also pitching a strong game, allowing only two hits. However, the basketball game’s suspension highlights a separate issue, unrelated to athletic performance.
The New Albany School District has not released further details regarding potential disciplinary actions or security measures for future events. The district’s response is currently limited to the statement issued by Superintendent Cook.
